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facet: Main
type: Traditional
locale: en_US
title: Adventure Quests International Counseling Service
facet_type_id: b1fe5380-5f2b-1032-afff-6b56ef53574c
html_text: The spiritual healers at Adventure Quests International Counseling Service believe the soul will starve if it doesn't experience something beyond the mundane, which is why they lead spiritual adventures. Mexico, Argentina, Austria, France, Italy—these are the faraway places they explore on 8- to 12-day trips designed to reignite a passion for life. But clients don't have to travel abroad to grow spiritually. They can also try spiritual counseling. Counseling sessions help clients refocus on the most important parts of themselves, from their identities as men or women to the ways they love themselves and others.

At first glance, Magowan's Infinite Mirror Maze looks more funky than befuddling. The black lights that illuminate its columns and archways cycle through neon colors, and ?80s dance music thumps through its various turns. The wonderland-like ambiance prompted SF Weekly to list the maze as "possibly the most psychedelic place one can legally reach within the city limits" in its list of Five Places We Wish Bands Could Play in SF.
Don't let the far-out vibes fool you, though. Even Charles Magowan, the maze's creator, admits to getting lost in its passageways during an ABC 7 feature. Charles constructed the maze to cover 2,000 square feet, aligning 77 mirrors in counterintuitive corners, dead-ends, twists, and halls. His ultimate goal was to build a nostalgic labyrinth that both kids and adults could explore. One ticket grants unlimited admission to the maze throughout the day, encouraging repeat visitors to memorize different escape routes and convince their reflection to go to work tomorrow instead of them.

Sidewalk Food Tours spotlights both marquee restaurants and hidden gems, so long as they meet the company’s criteria: interesting stories and delicious food. The North Beach tour effortlessly consolidates cuisine and history into every bite. Highlights include A. Cavalli & Co., the 130-year-old Italian cafe, and Molinari Delicatessen, famous for having fed Pope John Paul II.

Rick Shelton of Drag Me Along Tours is a tour guide and San Francisco resident, but the role you're most likely to remember him by is that of Countess Lola Montez. During his tours, he embodies the 19th century Irish dancer and actress who gained fame as a courtesan, and later, as a mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria. During tours, Rick—er, Ms. Montez—explores the streets of San Francisco as they were during her rowdy visits in the mid 1800s. In a fun, energetic manner, she points out places where she's entertained and shares parts of her life that many of her contemporaries never knew about unless they followed her blog. All tours begin in Portsmouth Square near the Goddess of Democracy Statue, and each one lasts about 2.5 hours and covers approximately two miles of easy walking.

If you follow Excelsior Urban Hikes' resident guide Christina, it will only take you two hours to see all of San Francisco. That's because it takes two hours to hike to the top of Mount Davidson, which offers stunning views of the city, both bay bridges, and the Pacific Ocean beyond to visitors who reach its summit.
Christina leads hikes down city streets and through nature trails to reveal scenic vistas. Besides Mount Davidson, she often takes groups to McLaren Park, where she points out interesting graffiti and pauses so hikers can take in views of the Outer Mission District. Christina also takes nighttime excursions to the top of Bernal Hill, where hikers can marvel at the sparkling bay lights and a lightening bug with a great stand-up routine.

Groupon Guide

Let’s admit it: the segway has an image problem. A line of helmeted tourists zipping around Chicago’s Loop or the National Mall in Washington, DC is always enough to elicit snide remarks from the locals. No matter how fun or practical they may be, segways just aren’t cool. Except that, well, they are. After polling my coworkers and discovering that none of us had so much as set foot on a segway, I decided to sign up for a city segway tour myself. After all, there had to be a reason behind these tours’ enduring popularity. Ten seconds after hopping on a segway, I understood that reason completely.It Takes One Minute to Learn How to Ride a SegwayI signed up for a two-hour tour of downtown Nashville, which began with a 10-minute safety video about how to ride. Our group of about 10 people learned such helpful tips as “Stay off very uneven surfaces” (you’ll fall) and “Don’t try to go down stairs” (you’ll fall). Our cheerful tour guide then hopped on a segway and demonstrated its operating principles: how to move forwards, how to go in reverse, and how to stop. He hopped off and began inviting each of us, one at a time, to try it for ourselves. I was nervous, to say the least; surely I’d be the first person in history to fall in the segway training room. I shouldn’t have worried. Within about a minute, the segway felt like an extension of my legs as I criss-crossed the room, going up wooden ramps, turning, and stopping in front of the group. This was so easy, even a child could do it! (Actually, a child can do it—segway tours are usually for ages 12 and older).Segways are Incredibly ResponsiveA segway operates on a gyroscope, keeping its own balance while keeping you upright, as well. The handles on a segway are just for holding—all of the movement happens when you shift your toes to move forward and your heels to move backward. This machine senses when you’re on, when you’re off, and when you’ve run into something, and it tries to correct your balance at all times. It’s almost like a sentient pair of wheeled robot legs, which can be terrifying or comforting depending on how you think about it.You Get Over the Silliness Pretty QuicklyWhen our little group rolled tentatively out onto the sunny Nashville sidewalk, every single person we passed laughed at us or had something cute to say. Groups of teens yelled after us. An executive joked, “I’m late to a meeting, where’s mine?” An old man on a park bench hollered something cheeky. No one could let us roll along un-kidded. But you know what? Once the first 10 minutes of acute, oh-my-god-everyone’s-laughing embarrassment subsides, you just get over it. Yes, you’re wearing a lime-green helmet and following your guide like a baby duck in line. This is you. This is your life. And guess what? Your life rules.Segways are a Great Way to See the SightsTaking a segway tour is hands-down one of the best ways to see a city’s major downtown attractions. Think about it: you cover a ton of ground without wearing out your feet, and you get to ride with a cooling breeze fluttering your clothes. Better yet, your tour guide will explain everything you’re seeing and give you fun tidbits about the city along the way. Of course, taking a segway tour also proves that you can withstand gentle mocking from complete strangers, and that’s a good skill to have. You’ll step off that segway feeling stronger and even accomplished. Sure, maybe you did nothing but stand on robotic wheels, but sometimes a little risk can go a long way.

There are few things sadder than a sailboat stranded in harbor during the long winter months. Thankfully, now that summer is finally upon us, boating enthusiasts can begin to unfurl their sails and hit the water once more. But before casting off to sea, you might want to know which sailing facts are actually, well, not facts at all. We found five common myths about sailing that might be of use to you, especially if you’re planning to marry your first mate while onboard.Myth: Sailboats Always Have the Right of WayJust like cars, boats have their own complicated rules of the road—er, water. For example, when two boats cross paths, one must serve as the “stand-on” vessel (the boat that continues on its course) and the other must serve as the “give-way” vessel (the boat that turns to avoid collision). So, how do you decide which is which? It’s tricky. Whereas a motorboat has to give way to any sailboat whose engine isn’t running, a sailboat with its engine running is technically considered to be a motorboat, and the two captains must determine who has more maneuverability before making a decision. If you’re as confused as we are, check out this simple breakdown that will help prevent any nautical fender benders.Myth: Lakes Are Always Calmer Than the OceanLakes may be smaller than the ocean, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re calmer. Since all of the water is contained in a finite area, the waves tend to be closer together, resulting in more frequent motion when the wind is blowing. It’s also easier for waves to bounce off the opposite shore and further jostle the waters. So, while you’re not likely to run into a shark on Lake Michigan, there are plenty of other hazards to look out for.Myth: You Should Never Sail in the RainAlthough you should always keep tabs on the wind and never go out in a lightning storm, rain by itself can actually be a boon when sailing. Raindrops tend to calm the waters by suppressing wave formation, and a savvy sailor will know how to harness the rain’s downward force and turn it into momentum for the boat. Just be sure to check the weather report ahead of time, wear waterproof gear, and take care not to slip on the deck.Myth: Anything is Legal on International WatersCredit The Simpsons for popularizing this myth (Mr. Burns once called international waters “the land that law forgot”), but it’s still just that—a myth. While there are huge swathes of the ocean not owned by anyone, every ship has to fly the flag of its country of origin, and thus obey the laws of that country, no matter where it’s sailing. In fact, the United Nations had an entire convention on sea regulations back in 1982, when they laid out all the rules in one very dense, very law-abiding document.Only Half-Myth: Your Boat Captain Can Perform a Marriage Ceremony OnboardCan your boat captain marry you onboard? Of course he can! But only if he’s an ordained minister or someone else who has the authority to do so. Outside of that, a captain has never been allowed to marry two people just because he’s captain. No one’s sure exactly where this myth comes from, but we suspect Captain Stubing and The Love Boat may have something to do with it.Photos: Andrew Nawrocki, Groupon.

It took a couple of tries before we finally connected with Peter McClelland, a man who’s more accustomed to hearing dogs barking than cell phones ringing. As a dog-sledding expert and co-owner of White Wilderness Sled Dog Adventures, McClelland spends most of his time outside among the snowy pines of Ely, Minnesota, tending to his pack of Alaskan huskies and teaching visitors the ins and outs of being a musher. Fortunately, we were able to catch the soft-spoken naturalist between dog-sledding trips to learn what an average day in his not-so-average life is like.How does your day begin?“First thing in the morning,” McClelland says, “we get up, feed the dogs, pooper-scoop the grounds, and pack our people food for the day trips. When customers start showing up, we make sure they have the right gear and are prepared for the day.”How long is your average dog-sledding trip?Most trips include a brief orientation and last from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., but McClelland says that can vary depending on the distance. “On a single day,” he explains, “we’ll [sled] between 20 and 30 miles. We have a stop at lunchtime, where we build a fire and cook brats.”What’s it like to spend all that time outside?“We’re in the Superior National Forest, and it’s a spiderweb of snowy trails out here,” McClelland says, but he doesn’t seem to mind the cold. In fact, he’ll often head out on the icy rim of Lake Superior for an afternoon barbecue. Dog-sledding is a great way to get away from the hustle and bustle for a while; the closest airport to Ely (population: 3,455) is two hours away, and the terrain farther out gets even more secluded.What’s your favorite part of the day?“[I love] seeing the dogs grow up and learn how to do everything,” McClelland says. “We usually start training them at four months, though they won’t pull trips until they’re over a year old.”How does your day end?“The dogs come in, everybody rubs them down, they get treats, and then they get fed their second meal.” So, what do these ultra-athletic dogs eat? “We feed them ground-up meat and a high-energy dog food that’s 32% protein and 32% fat. These dogs burn a lot of calories, so it’s a high-calorie food.” What’s something about your day that would surprise people?Films and TV shows have depicted plenty of mushers cracking whips and gruffly yelling at their team, but McClelland says it’s much more relaxed than that. “The dogs don’t have reins or anything like horses,” he tells us. “They’re hooked up to each other as a team and they follow voice commands: ‘Ge’ for right, ‘haw’ for left, ‘alright’ to go, and ‘whoa’ to stop.” People might also be surprised to learn that a dog sled doesn’t really have a place to sit down. “A sled has two runners,” McClelland explains. “You stand on the back and have a handlebar and a couple of brakes, which are your biggest friends when you’re out there.”Do you find it easy to leave your job at work when you go home?It’s hard to leave your job at work when you technically work from home. “We actually live here,” McClelland says, referring to White Wilderness’s onsite cabin. “The dogs stay outside. They each have their own house.”What’s the craziest thing that’s ever happened to you on the trail?“We ran into a wolf one time. We ran about 100 yards before our team would stop. The wolf would watch us, then catch up slowly, and when it got too close, we’d take off. It did that for about 20 minutes.” Although adventurers aren’t guaranteed to see a wolf on every trip (McClelland says the wild creatures are actually more timid than huskies), they’re sure to be dazzled by a mode of transportation that, after more than 1,000 years, is still alive and well—if you know where to look for it. Just don’t expect the dog-sledders to answer the phone every time.Read about other ways to spend time in the snow:Five Things to Know Before You Go Cross-Country SkiingHow to Build an Igloo, as Explained by an Arctic ExplorerAn Eagle Scout’s 10 Tips for Camping in the Snow